Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, has called for urgent clarification over the airstrike that hit Tumfa Market in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, leaving at least 72 people dead and several others injured.
In a condolence statement on Wednesday, Yar’adua said the incident had gone beyond a routine security mishap, describing it as a “serious incident requiring immediate national scrutiny and operational review.”
The strike, which occurred on Sunday, 11 May 2026, reportedly hit a crowded rural market during trading hours, killing civilians and leaving scenes of destruction that have continued to spark anger and grief across Zamfara State. Survivors are currently being treated in hospitals in Zurmi, Shinkafi, and Gusau, including the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital.
Rather than a standard condolence message alone, Yar’adua’s intervention has shifted focus toward accountability in military targeting procedures, especially in conflict zones where civilians and armed elements often operate in close proximity.
He stressed that while security forces continue to face enormous pressure in the fight against banditry in the North-West, incidents involving mass civilian casualties raise urgent questions about intelligence accuracy, target verification, and operational safeguards.
The senator called for an independent and transparent investigation to establish how the strike was authorised and whether all necessary precautions were taken to prevent civilian harm. He also urged that the findings, once concluded, should be made public to restore confidence in security operations.
Yar’adua further warned that repeated incidents of civilian harm risk weakening cooperation between local communities and security agencies, a relationship he described as “critical to defeating insecurity in the region.”
He expressed condolences to bereaved families, noting the emotional toll of mass casualties in a single strike, and called for support measures, including medical care for the injured and possible compensation for affected households.
The Northern Senators Forum, he added, would continue to push for reforms aimed at improving precision in military operations and strengthening civilian protection protocols in insurgency-hit areas.
The tragedy has since intensified public debate across northern Nigeria, with growing calls for a reassessment of air operations in populated rural communities amid the ongoing fight against banditry.
Authorities are yet to release a comprehensive account of the incident as investigations are expected to continue.